Al-Fil Verse 4

that pelted them with stones of baked clay,

pelting them with stones of baked clay,

hurling against them stones of baked clay

pelting them with pellets of hard-baked clay:

They hurled upon them stones of baked clay;

Striking them with stones of baked clay.

which smote them with stones of baked clay,

(While) you were pelting them with stones of porphyritic lava,

Which hit them with stones of baked clay,

pelting them with stones of shale,

Shooting them with bullet-like stones of baked clay (an emblem of the punishment due to them),

(Which tore off flesh from their bodies to eat by) striking them against stones of hardened and petrified clay.

It throws them with stones from dry and hardened mud

Which hit them with stones of baked clay,

To pelt them with stones of baked clay

Striking them with stones of Sijjil.

Casting at them decreed stones --

Casting against them stones of baked clay,

Which pelted them with stones of baked clay,

which showered them with small pebbles of clay

pelting them with stones of baked clay,

Striking them with stones of Sijjil.

which pelted them with clay stones?

Throwing at them rocks of baked clay.

pelting them with stones of baked clay,

Striking them with stones of Sijjil.

It is reported from Ubayd bin Umayr that he said,

"When Allah wanted to destroy the People of the Elephant, he sent birds upon them that came from sea swallows. Each of the birds was carrying three small stones -- two stones with its feet and one stone in its beak. They came until they gathered in rows over their heads. Then they gave a loud cry and threw what was in their claws and beaks. Thus, no stone fell upon the head of any man except that it came out of his behind (i.e., it went through him), and it did not fall on any part of his body except that it came out from the opposite side.

Then Allah sent a severe wind that struck the stones and increased them in force. Thus, they were all destroyed."


Concerning Allah's statement,

فَجَعَلَهُمْ كَعَصْفٍ مَّأْكُولٍ

Striking them with clay stones, spreading among them an epidemic